January

The exhibition „Signs Taken in Wonder“ at MAK Vienna surveyed the work of 33 international contemporary artists from three generations and their production in the context of the city of Istanbul, a city shaped by European, Oriental and Asian influences from 23 January until 21 April 2013.

The inspiration of the curatorial theme was taken from an essay by Homi K. Bhabha about the phenomenon of amazement experienced during the discovery of a new, foreign language and culture. The significance of literature as a medium to communicate notions of foreign cultures and narration as a subject of contemporary art is central to the concept of this exhibition.

Another source playing into the theme mentioned by the curators Simon Rees and Bärbel Vischer is Franco Moretti’s book Signs Taken for Wonders (London, 1983) dealing with world literatures and culture in translation and with the significance of translation for the construction of collective “world views.” Also Turkish authors like Orhan Pamuk, Mario Levi and international authors like Pierre Loti refer to similar notions in their texts.

A prominent work of the show was Nam June Paik Award winner Cevdet Erek's minimal installation on the ceiling of the central exhibition hall, which was illuminated through the museum's skylight construction. Referring to the history and structure of MAK’s 19th century building, Erek uses daylight as formative element of the exhibition, alluding to his interest in rhythm and space.

Another interesting work in the exhibition was Emre Hüner’s major installation „A Little Larger than the Entire Universe,“ that was recently shown at Manifesta 9. In this work the artist collects fragments and narratives as diverse as the NASA space-program, utopian dreams, ceramics based on forms taken from nature, hand-tools, creating a dialogue between science, progress, and visionary thinking.

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